PCS Entitlements You're Probably Leaving on the Table (2026 Guide)
Most service members miss thousands in PCS entitlements. Here's every dollar you're owed, DLA, MALT, per diem, TLE, and more, with 2026 JTR rates.
U.S. Navy
Navy PCS Guide: Entitlements, Orders, and Checklist
A Navy PCS starts with your detailer and MyNavy Assignment, and ends with a travel voucher you increasingly file yourself. Here is what you are owed, how sea-to-shore rotation and your orders actually work, and how to claim every dollar through MyPCS instead of leaving it on the pier.
What a Navy PCS actually pays
These entitlements come from the Joint Travel Regulations, so they are set by your rank, your dependents, and your distance, not by your branch. What changes between services is how you claim them.
DLA (Dislocation Allowance)
A flat payment set by pay grade and dependency status, roughly $1,871 to $6,386. No receipts required, but you have to claim it.
MALT (mileage)
$0.205 per mile when you drive, calculated on official distance rather than your odometer.
Per diem (travel days)
Up to $178 per travel day at the standard CONUS rate, with reduced rates for dependents by age.
TLE (temporary lodging, CONUS)
Reimburses actual lodging and meals for up to 21 days, up to $290 per day. Keep every receipt.
TLA (temporary lodging, OCONUS)
The overseas equivalent, commonly authorized up to about 60 days depending on your location.
PPM / DITY incentive
Move yourself and the government pays 100% of what it would have cost them to ship your weight. Certified weight tickets are mandatory.
Run the numbers now with the free DLA calculator and MALT and travel days calculator, or build your Navy playbook to see all of it against your actual orders.
How Navy orders actually work
01
Work your detailer, apply in MyNavy Assignment
Rotation dates drive Navy moves. You view available billets and apply in MyNavy Assignment, then work your detailer to line up orders that fit your sea-to-shore rotation.
02
Review and complete orders on MyNavy Portal
Once orders are cut, you review them on MyNavy Portal and complete the pre-travel questionnaire. Get your dependents and travel details right here, because they flow straight into what you can claim.
03
Detach, then file MyPCS
After you detach and report to the gaining command, file through the MyPCS Travel Voucher: upload receipts, sign electronically, and route it to your command pay and personnel administrator. For several pay grades the GTCC and the MyPCS voucher are now mandatory.
Navy systems at a glance
- Assignments
- MyNavy Assignment to view and apply for jobs; your detailer works the orders
- Orders
- Reviewed and completed on MyNavy Portal, including the pre-travel questionnaire
- Travel claim
- MyPCS Travel Voucher, with the GTCC for PCS required for some pay grades
- Personnel support
- Your command pay and personnel administrator
Navy PCS gotchas
Ask about a DLA advance before you detach. The entitlement is the same, the timing is much better.
OCONUS and sea duty complicate dependent travel and household goods timelines. Confirm command sponsorship early for overseas orders.
PPM pays 100% of the government constructed cost. Certified weight tickets are mandatory to collect it.
If your pay grade is on the mandatory MyPCS and GTCC list, use them. A paper side-channel voucher will just bounce.
Working the timeline
Most Sailors start too late. Household goods, housing, medical records, and finance all have their own lead times, and they do not run in parallel as nicely as you would hope. Start about 90 days out.
Use the free 90-day PCS checklist →Navy PCS questions
Where do I review my Navy PCS orders?
On MyNavy Portal, where you review your orders and complete the pre-travel questionnaire after your detailer has arranged them through MyNavy Assignment.
How do I file a Navy PCS travel claim?
Through the MyPCS Travel Voucher: complete the pre-populated voucher, upload receipts, sign electronically, and submit it to your command pay and personnel administrator. Some pay grades are required to use MyPCS and the GTCC for PCS.
How much does a Navy PCS pay?
Your entitlements (DLA, MALT mileage, per diem, TLE or TLA, and a PPM incentive) are set by rank, dependents, and distance rather than by branch. A personalized playbook calculates the exact figures for your orders.
Keep reading
DLA Rates by Rank 2026, Full Table + How to Claim
2026 DLA rates for every military pay grade, with and without dependents. Full table, eligibility rules, claim steps, and common mistakes to avoid.
OCONUS PCS Checklist, Everything Before You Go Overseas
The complete OCONUS PCS checklist: passports, medical screening, HHG, POV shipping, command sponsorship, and more. Timeline from 12 weeks out to arrival.
Get this for your exact Navy move
Your real entitlements in actual dollars, a timeline counted down from your report date, and the checklist for your rank, dependents, and destination. Free preview before you pay.
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Estimates only. Rates and service policies change, so verify every dollar amount and deadline with your servicing finance and personnel office before you count on it. PCS Copilot is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Defense or any branch of the armed forces.